Year of the Rat, White

The story of the Zodiac race held by the Jade Emperor, the Emperor in Heaven, is widely known in Chinese mythology and tells the story of how the twelve zodiac animals were placed in order on the lunar calendar. According to legend, the clever and smart witted rat jumped onto the back of the ox at the beginning of the race and then leapt ahead of the ox at the end in order to secure it’s place as the very first zodiac animal. In contrast to more negative perceptions of the rat in the West, the rat is known for it’s intellect and resourcefulness in the East and therefore are associated with wealth and abundance.